Article by
Emmanuel Joseph

Published on
September 20, 2018

The Government’s proposed changes to the Road Traffic Act have become the latest target for a severe tongue-lashing by Opposition Senator Caswell Franklyn.

The Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2018 is a tax grab and akin to putting lipstick on a pig, he declared.

As the Upper Chamber debated the measure sent up from the House of Assembly, Senator Franklyn said the bill, which will abolish the road tax and replace it with a fuel tax, was not properly thought out and was merely sprung on the country with little opportunity for wide public debate.

“This is a bill where Government wants to get some money and they want to get it fast, and you throw in another few amendments to make it look like you are not just doing a little thing. The amendments were not properly thought out. These amendments were just a little dressing . . . but you know when you put lipstick on a pig, you still got a pig,” the outspoken Opposition Senator told the chamber.

Franklyn suggested that having not given the Senate and the nation enough time to evaluate the changes, that the Government would soon be forced to return to the legislature seeking approval for even more amendments.

Also branding the measure as a money-grabbing Bill with 38 “unsubstantive” amendments, the Senator said it does not address a number of problems in urgent need of repair.

Although the road tax has been abolished and replaced with a fuel levy, a car owner was now paying $936 a year to fill his car compared to $400 in road tax, said Senator Franklyn.

“It is a tax grab. It making more money. Mind you, Government must learn from experience that when they put the private sector to collect Government revenue they don’t get it. So they might even get less money coming in from this tax than they were getting from the road tax, because, just like VAT, [value added tax] you don’t get 50 per cent of the money that is collected at VAT. So I warn you, you could have stayed where you were even if you wanted to carry it up another $50, I wouldn’t mind,” he said.

Franklyn, who is also head of the Unity Workers Union, said he did not believe the Government’s reasons for introducing the changes to the Road Traffic Act.

“If it was just supposed to ensure that people paid their road tax . . . just like how you are doing for the insurance by putting a sticker on the licence plate, you could have put a sticker on the licence plate to show that the road tax was paid. That is why I say I don’t believe [the reasons behind the bill.] Don’t treat the country like we foolish, like we can’t understand things,” he declared.

He also asked why the Government taxed the lighting and cooking fuel kerosene if the fuel charge was designed to replace the road tax.

“A lot of old people cook with kerosene. So if that was supposed to replace the road tax, that means you paying road tax on a stove and I have never seen any stove pass me on the road. I drive slowly and one of two of them would have passed me on the road. It is no replacing road tax. You are going after people’s money and you are deceiving people,” said the trade union leader.

Another aspect of the bill of concern to the Opposition Senator is the definition of commercial vehicle, which did not make sense to him, he suggested.

“A commercial vehicle now is a vehicle that you use for hire or for reward or something like this. So if I have a container truck and I don’t hook it up to nothing, I can drive bout a container truck as my private vehicle. The road tax was designed and the bigger vehicles pay more because they did more damage to the roads.”

He railed against another aspect of governance of the nation’s roads recalling the so-called jambuster traffic flow measure at roundabouts.

“Years ago, you had ZR men and mini busmen who do [what] they like on the road. Passing you at roundabouts, passing you on the inside and we couldn’t get them stopped
. . . . The [police] ain’t holding them; when they get before the courts, the magistrates’ cases so long . . . taking years before they get to court. So what Government did? Government then legislated that you can now do that foolishness and called it ‘jambuster’,” Franklyn suggested.

He claimed that the Government was again introducing legislation to allow public service vehicle (PSV) operators to breach the law.

As minibuses carried seating capacity of 11 to 24 seats and ZRs a maximum of 15, owners would “put additional seats in the vehicles and drive all about the place every day with them”, removing the seats for inspection just before annual registration, then “drive around the corner, put back in the seats; and Government believes that is something that they should encourage,” he said.

The Opposition Senator declared that the Mia Mottley Administration was now increasing the seating capacity again in this proposed legislation because the owners have decided, ‘I putting in more seats and wunnah can’t stop me’.”

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23 thoughts on “‘Lipstick on a pig’”

The GAURDIANS

Mr Franklyn we got you back.Thank you for keeping it honest.cause nobody else want to call it as it is.When people think the masses stupid guess what they will do stupid things to the masses.But not everyone is as stupid as they think.I can see this group gine teach Bajans a real lesson in economics.keep up the good work senator .we got your back.

SMH….. So question under the past roadtax act, was that working??? Were person being honest and pay taxes??? Were the roads being fixed???
What other solution was there for government to get funding to improve roads and B, for every motorist not to cheat the system and avoid paying taxes. The last government rape people with the last road taxes taking it from $250 to $400 and still had nothing to show for it. So the government had no choice now, to bring a system to ensure funding was honestly coming in.. oh and by the way, road works has begun already.

I’m waiting to hear what other solution could be used to get the taxes/funding to fix the roads..

@Jasonc: A government don’t have to over tax the people to fulfill a tax collection obligation, they simply have to enforce regulations. Rather than having the police on the road stopping and checking cars, they can simply check cars parked in car parks, place a sticker on them, and stop them at the exit. They can contract wreckers to remove them to a police or government storage facility. Then the owners will have to pay the road tax, wrecker and storage fees to get the car back. Failing that the car can be auctioned/sold to recover the cost.

Not ONLY a stove, but Eye NEVER see a boat(weedeater/blower/lawnmower) driving on road neida. Dis is quadruple the money dey wud have collected as compared to former road tax collections.
Ppl still driving widout insurance and potholes(wells) still in abundance in/on roads.

Poor Mia she got a good heart and means well but look who advising her One Persad from Four Seasons that can’t get off thee ground and thee former BLP Co Leader Mallet wid teeth, two Opportunist and failures, so this BLP is destined to failure and one term, another First.

Frankkyn seems to be the only person in the House who has courage to speak truth. he is spot on with this money grabbing fuel tax ..it has doubled for most peope. it is a wicked tax…money grabbing…tax. why couldnt they have gone after those who failed to pay insurance.it is a devious tax. its aim is to rake in quick money..killing us…Keep speaking Franklyn…after all we give Blp all the seats..they doing the dog

So, so true Mr. Franklyn. Keep opening the eyes of the masses cause they seem to be blind. And we though the NSRL was bad?

JasonC…As Franklyn said even though they collect taxes from we the public the money never reaches the government till, why do you think the Business / Merchants still owe the government approximately $470m in taxes, why don’t they collect that instead and give we poor a break on these taxes.

@GREENGIANT…”Rather than having the police on the road stopping and checking cars, they can simply check cars parked in car parks, place a sticker on them, and stop them at the exit”. Seriously?? so you have police men or hire other people just to walk around in a park lot checking park cars and will solve the issue of dishonest people not paying road tax?? so you will have a police man station at every parking station in the island??? is that what you are saying?????

@SONYFAIR i understand and yes you need to go after the busniess who don’t pay taxes but how will that put an end to the person who drive around not paying the road tax???? you still have to make sure every man pay his share accordingly. that all i’m saying…. i you said that tax is maybe to high,then i could say ok maybe it needs to be re-looked but to say the idea should be scrapped, thats another thing.

And let me be clear, yes the government will get more money than the annual $400 however, if they feel they could do what the last government did and get away, they have another thing coming. I don’t mind paying BUT i want muh roads fixed if not as you come in to government you will be cast out!!!! STRAIGHT!!!

Jason C,points well made do not mind the Dems apologists and yardfowls,above ,one Patty,Jennifer,SonyFair ,Ras,and Greengiant their government tax the hell out of Bajans,and had nothing to show ,poor roads, poor Garbage collections ,poor bus Service not one Bus or Garbage Truck bought in the ten years,and not a word from them but on here everyday bellyaching about taxes,unbeleivable.To them you could add Mark my Word and Sheron Inniss,these people just flew into Barbados since the question I would ask them where the hell they were for 10 years?Most Bajans do not want to hear or see none of wunna ,for another 20 years now led by a two time and four time losers who cannot even win a seat far less a government,therefore you all in la la land to talk about one term government.Good luck with that.

@LORENZO. I just put some jamun and pomegranate to steep. You want some? I pick pears, sugar apples, golden apples and soursop and pomegranates from my ogarnic garden. You want some? I pick some Bajan cherries too. You want some?

I have rosemary, basil, sage and other herbs in my garden. You want some?

You can’t afford the price I would charge you.

I am a qualified primary school teacher. You need remedial education? You can’t afford my price.

I guess as soon as u state ur point of view. I guess if you being grind by even more taxes, I guess since Mia cares, you cant say a word at all…just grin and bear it…if not u are a dlp…well, I live here and I will feel free to speak